Community drinking water quality monitoring data: utility for public health research and practice. 2014

Rachael M Jones, and Judith M Graber, and Robert Anderson, and Karl Rockne, and Mary Turyk, and Leslie T Stayner
Divisions of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences (Dr Jones) and Epidemiology and Biostatistics (Drs Graber, Turyk, and Stayner), School of Public Health, and Department of Civil and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering (Dr Rockne), University of Illinois at Chicago.

BACKGROUND Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) tracks the occurrence and magnitude of environmental hazards and associated adverse health effects over time. The EPHT program has formally expanded its scope to include finished drinking water quality. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to describe the features, strengths, and limitations of using finished drinking water quality data from community water systems (CWSs) for EPHT applications, focusing on atrazine and nitrogen compounds in 8 Midwestern states. METHODS Water quality data were acquired after meeting with state partners and reviewed and merged for analysis. RESULTS Data and the coding of variables, particularly with respect to censored results (nondetects), were not standardized between states. Monitoring frequency varied between CWSs and between atrazine and nitrates, but this was in line with regulatory requirements. Cumulative distributions of all contaminants were not the same in all states (Peto-Prentice test P < .001). Atrazine results were highly censored in all states (76.0%-99.3%); higher concentrations were associated with increased measurement frequency and surface water as the CWS source water type. Nitrate results showed substantial state-to-state variability in censoring (20.5%-100%) and in associations between concentrations and the CWS source water type. CONCLUSIONS Statistical analyses of these data are challenging due to high rates of censoring and uncertainty about the appropriateness of parametric assumptions for time-series data. Although monitoring frequency was consistent with regulations, the magnitude of time gaps coupled with uncertainty about CWS service areas may limit linkage with health outcome data.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009566 Nitrates Inorganic or organic salts and esters of nitric acid. These compounds contain the NO3- radical. Nitrate
D003627 Data Interpretation, Statistical Application of statistical procedures to analyze specific observed or assumed facts from a particular study. Data Analysis, Statistical,Data Interpretations, Statistical,Interpretation, Statistical Data,Statistical Data Analysis,Statistical Data Interpretation,Analyses, Statistical Data,Analysis, Statistical Data,Data Analyses, Statistical,Interpretations, Statistical Data,Statistical Data Analyses,Statistical Data Interpretations
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000014 Abnormalities, Drug-Induced Congenital abnormalities caused by medicinal substances or drugs of abuse given to or taken by the mother, or to which she is inadvertently exposed during the manufacture of such substances. The concept excludes abnormalities resulting from exposure to non-medicinal chemicals in the environment. Drug-Induced Abnormalities,Abnormalities, Drug Induced,Abnormality, Drug-Induced,Drug Induced Abnormalities,Drug-Induced Abnormality
D001280 Atrazine A selective triazine herbicide. Inhalation hazard is low and there are no apparent skin manifestations or other toxicity in humans. Acutely poisoned sheep and cattle may show muscular spasms, fasciculations, stiff gait, increased respiratory rates, adrenal degeneration, and congestion of the lungs, liver, and kidneys. (From The Merck Index, 11th ed) Gesamprim
D014481 United States A country in NORTH AMERICA between CANADA and MEXICO.
D014874 Water Pollutants, Chemical Chemical compounds which pollute the water of rivers, streams, lakes, the sea, reservoirs, or other bodies of water. Chemical Water Pollutants,Landfill Leachate,Leachate, Landfill,Pollutants, Chemical Water
D015980 Public Health Practice The activities and endeavors of the public health services in a community on any level. Health Practice, Public,Health Practices, Public,Practice, Public Health,Practices, Public Health,Public Health Practices
D016573 Agrochemicals Chemicals used in agriculture. These include pesticides, fumigants, fertilizers, plant hormones, steroids, antibiotics, mycotoxins, etc. Agrichemical,Agricultural Chemical,Agricultural Chemicals,Agrochemical,Agrichemicals,Chemicals, Agricultural,Chemical, Agricultural
D060753 Water Quality A rating of a body of water based on measurable physical, chemical, and biological characteristics. Quality, Water

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